Yes, I don't see Gomez ever being 125, so this discussion is pretty pointless. It's nice to have many talented lower weights to battle it out for a change.

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****Edit**** I'm am idiot and getting Gomez and Parker confused again. Point remains we have a lot of talented lower weights that will fight it out next year. If we can redshirt great....if the best wrestler is significantly better no redshirt.

Much of Iowa State’s young talent is at the lower and middleweights. Guys like Danny Vega at 125 pounds, Markus Simmons and incoming freshman Austin Gomez at 133 pounds, Kanen Storr at 141 pounds and Ian Parker at 149 pounds will carry Iowa State into the future.

If Parker gets to be a decent-sized 149 pounder that would be big for us. Might've been hard for him to crack the lineup with Gomez, Simmons, and Storr. Not like 149 has been a great weight for us lately either.

If Parker gets to be a decent-sized 149 pounder that would be big for us. Might've been hard for him to crack the lineup with Gomez, Simmons, and Storr. Not like 149 has been a great weight for us lately either.

Most every Penn State wrestler looks small for their weight class. Doesn't seem to hurt their performance! Cutting weight is a model of the past. Training to build muscle and flexibility and wrestling a more natural weight class is proving better performance.

Most every Penn State wrestler looks small for their weight class. Doesn't seem to hurt their performance! Cutting weight is a model of the past. Training to build muscle and flexibility and wrestling a more natural weight class is proving better performance.

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Can't really use PSU as an example. They recruit at a different level.

Can't argue that PSU is recruiting talent that not many can match right now, however they do have their guys wrestling at more of a natural weight. Flexibility, with the possible exception of Joseph and Suriano, who are more brutish, is a dynamic shift in overall philosophy.

Can't really use PSU as an example. They recruit at a different level.

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Can't use the best team in the nation as an example? If you don't you'll fall behind soon! I don't care who your recruits are, the formula is the same! Have kids wrestle at a comfortable weight and allow them to focus on technique and their training and less on the negative mentality associated with cutting weight. It allows them to have a much more positive mental attitude towards training and competition. Just ask them!

Can't use the best team in the nation as an example? If you don't you'll fall behind soon! I don't care who your recruits are, the formula is the same! Have kids wrestle at a comfortable weight and allow them to focus on technique and their training and less on the negative mentality associated with cutting weight. It allows them to have a much more positive mental attitude towards training and competition. Just ask them!

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I'm with you that insane weight cutting is archaic at this point (look at what it did to our lineup this year for example) but it isn't ever going to go away entirely in a weight based sport. But I'd have to also say that Penn State isn't the best example though because it is easy to "have fun" when you're basically an all star team that starts out three steps ahead of everybody else purely because of talent. Better to consider Cornell, VT, Ohio State or other schools like that.

I'm with you that insane weight cutting is archaic at this point (look at what it did to our lineup this year for example) but it isn't ever going to go away entirely in a weight based sport. But I'd have to also say that Penn State isn't the best example though because it is easy to "have fun" when you're basically an all star team that starts out three steps ahead of everybody else purely because of talent. Better to consider Cornell, VT, Ohio State or other schools like that.

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This was my point. Nolf and Retherford don't have to cut weight because they're that good. Most guys have to.

I'm with you that insane weight cutting is archaic at this point (look at what it did to our lineup this year for example) but it isn't ever going to go away entirely in a weight based sport. But I'd have to also say that Penn State isn't the best example though because it is easy to "have fun" when you're basically an all star team that starts out three steps ahead of everybody else purely because of talent. Better to consider Cornell, VT, Ohio State or other schools like that.

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I get MUCH better performance out of my high school wrestlers when they are not cutting weight. Goes the same for college wrestlers as well. The training intensity is so much better, it's not even comparable.

...and obviously, I agree that the better the abilities of the wrestler, the easier it is to perform better at their natural weight. I am just a believer that performance of a college athlete, especially a wrestler, is more mental than most realize. Cutting weight is horrible for a wrestler's mind. Take this out of the equation and let them focus on the things that make them great! I think this is what Cael is good at.

I get MUCH better performance out of my high school wrestlers when they are not cutting weight. Goes the same for college wrestlers as well. The training intensity is so much better, it's not even comparable.

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There are wide ranges of weight cutting though. Somebody trying to suck down 10-15% of their body weight each week that isn't properly fueling themselves and hasn't had a drop of water in over a day is a lot different than somebody who cuts down a couple percentage points to make a lower weight class. You're never going to get rid of weight cutting entirely and it isn't inherently bad. Extreme weight cutting is what is inherently bad.